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Ninja Star

Introduction: Ninja Star

About: I'm Mike, from The Geek Pub. I'm a maker. I love to make things. from woodworking to electronics. Follow along with me!
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A Ninja Star or Throwing Star is something every kid remembers growing up seeing on TV and the movies. You can buy them at many knife stores, but did you know you can make your own at home?

Step 1: Watch the Video

Take a minute to watch our instructional video on the Ninja Star. There's a lot of detail and additional information included. Once you're finished, head on over to Step 2!

Step 2: Decide on a Pattern

A Ninja Star can literally be made to look however you want it to.The design possibilities are almost limitless! You can find hundreds of patterns on the web, or you can use the ones provided from The Geek Pub here: Throwing Star Template

For the material you'll need some high quality steel. You can either buy a sheet of 1/8" steel from a hardware store, or you can do what I did and use an old circular saw blade. In my case, a 10" saw blade from my table saw that had a 1/8" kerf.

Whatever design you choose, you'll need to attach it to the material of your choosing. I recommend printing the template out and using a spray adhesive to attach it to the material.

Step 3: Drill Any Holes First

If the design you chose has holes in it, you should always drill the holes before doing the cutting. This will drastically reduce the cutting effort as well as the drilling effort. Trying to drill the holes, or half of a hole after the pattern is cut out can be extremely frustrating.

Step 4: Clamp the Material Down

This should probably go without saying, but please clamp the material down to your work bench or hold it with a vise. 1/8" steel flying across the room would be beyond dangerous.

Step 5: Cut Out the Ninja Star

I used a .045 cutoff wheel on my handheld grinder to cut out my star. This works very well. In fact, it almost cuts like butter.

If you don't have a handheld grinder, a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade will work, as will a handheld hacksaw.

Cut about 1/32" away from the lines on your template. This will allow for you to grind everything flush for a perfect finish.

Step 6: Grind It and Brush It

Using a bench top or handheld grinder, grind the star down to the lines on your pattern. This doesn't take much effort and will really make the star look pro when its finished. Go slow, and avoid overheating the metal. It is likely your paper template will let off a little smoke as you grind. This is normal.

Once your finished give the star a once or twice over on the wire wheel. This will remove all of the burs, any paint or rust on the star, as well as the paper template.

Some people prefer to leave their star with a brushed finish and that's fine if you like that. You could also paint it at this point of you prefer a painted star.

Step 7: Buff the Ninja Star

Using some red grit compound and a buffing wheel, buff the Ninja Star down to a nice polish.

You can take this as far as you like and move on to green compound if you want an even higher gloss finish.

Step 8: Sharpen the Blades (OPTIONAL)

Sharpen all of the blades on the star using a high grit grinding wheel. This will make the blades of the star razor sharp.

Many people who just want the star for show, skip this step and I recommend that most of you do the same unless you actually plan to use it for sport or target practice. A sharpened Throwing Star can be very dangerous and should be locked in a safe place when not in use.

Step 9: The Finished Star

You're finished Ninja Star is going to look super awesome and should be a blast to use. Just be safe and keep it out of the hands of children.

Well if you liked this project I bet you'll like some of my other projects too! You can find more details on this project at my website The Geek Pub here: Make a Throwing Star

It's actually hilarious to read some of the things that are illegal in some places. Massachusetts has a comical list of things that would make you think the lawmakers had family that were attacked by ninjas. A small excerpt:

"a slung shot, blowgun, blackjack, metallic knuckles or knuckles of any substance which could be put to the same use with the same or similar effect as metallic knuckles, nunchaku, zoobow, also known as klackers or kung fu sticks, or any similar weapon consisting of two sticks of wood, plastic or metal connected at one end by a length of rope, chain, wire or leather, a shuriken or any similar pointed starlike object intended to injure a person when thrown, or any armband, made with leather which has metallic spikes, points or studs or any similar device made from any other substance or a cestus or similar material weighted with metal or other substance and worn on the hand, or a manrikigusari or similar length of chain having weighted ends"

I think where I live, this might even make the sawblades themselves illegal. LOL.

I have done this before. Saw blades make by far the best throwing stars. I have one suggestion though: Do NOT use a grinder to cut out the star, use a jigsaw with a metal-cutting blade. The grinder will heat up the blade and destroy the temper of the metal, making the throwing star bend much more easily and lose it's edge much faster.

Ah, I see. I made mine because I discovered I had a natural talent for throwing stars when I tried some that my friend had, but I didn't want to pay $40 a star for factory made ones. I ended up being able to make ones of equal quality for $12 each. But mine are actually being used for throwing.